Improvement in accelerating fire-arms



A S. LYMAN.

Muzzle-Loading Ordnance. No. 16,568.. I Patented Feb-3, 1857' 4 or its liability to burst.

NITE STATES Price. X

AZEL S. LYMAN, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y;, ASSIGNOR TO AOOELERATING FIRE ARMS COMPANY.

iMPRGVEMENT IN ACCELERATING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,568. d te F y 1857' .Z'o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AZEL Sronns LYMAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being made 'to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure I is a top view, partly in section. Fig. II is a side view or elevation. Fig. III is of a part in detail, and similar letters indi cate similar parts throughout.

' The object chieflysought to be accomplished by my invention is to increase both the weight and the range of the projectile without materially increasing either the weight of the gun To effect this, two principles are employedthe first that of ac celeration, whereby momentum is imparted by successive additions of force, increasing in intensity from the starting-point to the place of discharge or muzzle, and the second consists in relieving the projectile from atmospheric resistance during its passage alongthe bore of the gun. The application of the first-named principle is effected by placing upon the sides of the gun additional charge-chambers, which I term accelerators, and which are to be so charged with detonating material of suitable character that it shall explode as soon as the projectile driven forward by the usual charge has passed the openings of said chambers, thereby constantly accelerating its rate of speed by impressing additional force upon it. Thus it will be seen that well-known laws for putting a heavy body in rapid motion with the least loss of force are regarded,and accordingly heavier shot may be thrown with the same weight of metal in the gun by this principle thap eould be were the whole power applied at once, as in the ordinary method.

The construction and operation of my im provements will be particularly described with reference to their application to cannon. This may be either a breech-loading gun or otherwise, and the bore may be either rifled or plain. In the drawings annexed a cannon is shown which is made to be loaded at the breech in the simplest form by removing a screwed breech-pin, a, inserted in the boreb of the gun, and this breech-pin may have upon it a nipple or cone, 0, to receive the percussion-cap for firing. The additional charge-chambers d are inserted in the sides of this gun, so that their bores will open into the bore b a short distance above the charge. They are placed inclining, as shown, for convenience in working the gun. The breech-pin of each is made easily removable, being screwed into the bore as described for that in Z); but these have no nipple, nor is there any vent or touch-hole to the chambers (Z. Through the side of the gun, near the muzzle, a hole, 6, is made, to which an ordinary exhaustingpump is to be attached. The muzzle has upon its face an annular plate, f, which is hinged at one side and secured by a screw at the other, as shown in Figs. II and III, and this is for the purpose of readily securing upon the muzzle a piece, '6, of some material impervious to air, as sheet caoutchouc, whereby the bore may be so covered that the air may be exhausted from it, and which shall offer but little resistance to the transit of the proj ectile. The opening through the plate fmust be a little larger than the bore of the gun, in order that the shot may pass out without touching. Instead of this plate and sheet of rubber, alight and close tompion may be fitted to the muzzle, and it would be kept in place by the external pressure of the atmosphere. The bore of the chambers need not be as large as that of the gun itself, nor are they necessarily placed opposite to each other, except to avoid injury to the bore on the side against which they would otherwise be discharged. The projectile for this gun is increased in weight by being made much longer than usual, and it is cone-shaped at each end.

As thus constructed, being mounted upon a suitable carriage, the gun is prepared for fir ing by removing the main breechpin, then inserting the shot to a short distance, and, having put in the cartridge of powder, replace the breech-pin. The chambers (Z are to be charged in like manner, except that no shot is placed in those, and the bore is filled to the main bore, or nearly so. A percussion-cap is now placed upon the nipple on the breech-pin a, thus making that air-tight, and the gun is to be exhausted of its air by means of the pump attached to the opening 6. If, new, that powder which is at the back of the shot be fired by exploding the cap, the projectile will be started forward, as usual, and as soon as it has passed the use of several accelerators with advantage.

beyond the mouths of the accelerators d the fire in the bore 1) becoming communicated to the charges in those, they also are discharged, andas the density of the contained gases is thereby increased, the force whichimpels the shot is also increased in intensity. There being no air in the bore in front of the projectile, that cause of resistance is not present to retard, and the projectile readily passes through the patch over the muzzle or displaces the tompion, the obstruction from either of those being so slight as hardlyto deserve notice. If desired, other accelerators maybe added along the gun, the charge in each of which would in like manner be fired as soon as the projectile had passed its mouth, and, as the air is re moved from the bore, the greatest objection to length of barrel being thereby also removed,

the gun may be made long enough to admit of As a material for charging the additional chambers, I am enabled to employ those which are of the more rapid combustion-such as gun-cotton though for the charge in the main bore I prefer the slow-burning powder usual with heavy projectiles.

I claim- 1. The employment of the accelerators or 

